by Kal Spriggs
Aerion covered the last three yards in a rush, drawing the Starblade and lunging forward. He saw Walker move with viper speed in a lunge at the other guard.
Aerion's opponent must have realized something was wrong, for he drew his blade at the same time. Aerion felt the impact of it on his ribs, but the spell-woven clothing turned the blade. His opponent wasn't so lucky, the man gasped as the Starblade punched through his chest.
Aerion ripped the blade free and turned, in time to see Walker ease the other man to the ground.
“They must have killed Sergeant Millar and his squad somehow,” Aerion said softly. “We've got to secure the gate, make sure that whatever has happened, no one gets in and out. Ready?”
Walker gave him a nod. For the first time in weeks, his friend looked confident and calm. At least fighting gets his head back in the game, Aerion thought.
Aerion pulled open the door and let his friend lead the way. Aerion looked around and then grimaced as he saw a pair of bodies stacked in the corner. There was enough blood across the floor that he didn't need to check to see if they still lived.
Two of my men, he thought angrily. Despite what he had said, he had somehow hoped that Sergeant Millar and his men were alive.
Aerion moved towards the stairs, his face grim. If he couldn't save his men, at least he could avenge them.
***
Lady Katarina Emberhill
Katarina scowled as they came into Harken Tower. She had somehow hoped that someone, anyone, would come across their path. Yet at the same time she had dreaded it as well, that these kidnappers would kill some innocent servant or catch some of her soldiers off-guard.
Any hope she had of rescue died with a thud as Konstantin shouldered the door closed behind them and dropped the bar into place.
“Well,” Mari said cheerfully, that's settled, we'll just head down to the stables, and--”
A man shouted from upstairs and then someone rushed down, “Sir, someone's coming, a big one-eyed fellow and another man!”
Aerion, she thought with relief, and someone else, maybe more. Katarina heard what sounded like shouts and impacts from downstairs. The other passageway, she thought and she began to smile. She cocked an eyebrow at Mari, “Maybe not as settled as you think.”
Mari shook her head, “Well, that's unfortunate...”
Konstantin stormed forward, he caught Katarina by the arm. “Keep in mind, my Lady, that I don't mind killing anyone who gets in my way. And if it comes down to it, I'll cut pieces off of you until your men decide to withdraw. So.” He nodded in the direction of the stairs downwards. “After you.”
***
Lord Lukas
Lukas didn't know how much time had passed since he last lost consciousness. He couldn't see out of his left eye, he didn't know whether that was because it was gone or simply mired shut by blood. Certainly he felt it leaking down his face, dripping in a steady flow onto the stone tiles under his face.
He didn't remember the blow that had made it past his guard, whether that was why his head ached or if he'd hit it when he fell. He lay under a tangle of bodies, the men he'd killed as they rushed him at the door. At least he thought he had killed all of them, but their faces weren't familiar, gone slack in death.
Earlier he had heard an alarm go out, had heard shouts and the trample of feet. He thought he remembered seeing guards rush past, but his thoughts were blurred and vague. He hoped it meant that Kara had escaped. He had done his duty.
Please, he prayed, please let her have escaped. His blood leaking out, he could be honest with himself at least. He had sworn to protect her, in payment for what Josef had done for him... yet he had come to love the proud, strong woman.
He could never have admitted it, not to his family and certainly not to her. It was best, he supposed. His father might not care what Lukas did with himself, but his older brother had thought him an idiot. Janner had joined Katarina's army, had already been given command of a company... and had told Lukas to give up his stupid oath and defend their ancestral lands and people in a better fashion.
Little did he know, Janner thought. He had protected Kara. He hoped that she had given warning in time. Without Katarina, this entire revolution was for nothing.
I did my duty, he thought to himself as the world receded again and he lost consciousness.
He came too again, hearing a familiar woman's voice.
"...here, just down the corridor," Kara said.
A moment later, he saw her, followed by a squad of soldiers. "Kara?" Lukas asked.
"Ancestors," Kara gasped, "he's still alive! Quick, you two, get these bodies off him!"
"You made it," Lukas said, "Are you... they didn't hurt you?" He grunted in pain as two of the soldiers lifted him. The world spun around him.
Kara caught his head, "You stupid man. Of course I'm alright. Where are you wounded?"
Lukas shook his head, "I'm dying… it's no use..."
"Bring him," Kara snapped, "there's a healer downstairs." Lukas groaned as pain shot through his chest as they lifted him. "Be gentle, damn you!"
***
Captain Aerion Swordbreaker
Aerion bounded down the stairs, taking them three at a time. At the bottom of the stairs, two more of the kidnappers drew their weapons, even as one shouted a warning over his shoulder.
Aerion didn't slow. He leapt the last ten stairs and in mid air kicked out with both feet.
His opponent's eyes went wide and then Aerion's feet struck him in the chest. Aerion's two hundred pounds of muscle and bone drove the man down and back and Aerion felt ribs shatter as he landed atop the man. The sick, pulpy feel of the man's ruined chest under his heels would be something he knew would revisit him in his nightmares.
There wasn't time for him to think about that. The other attacker came at him and Aerion went on the defensive as his attacker thrust and hacked at him with ferocity. Several attacks broke through Aerion's guard, but they bounced off his spell-woven tunic. The man he fought was too fast, too skilled, and Aerion didn't have a shield to block as he retreated backwards. His back hit the wall and his opponent drove Aerion's sword high and then drew his blade back for the killing blow.
Then Walker flashed past him, his sword a blur. The kidnapper's severed head flew down the hallway and the headless body fell to the floor. Walker didn't slow, rushing into the next room and Aerion followed in his wake.
Three more kidnappers awaited them, yet Walker didn't even slow. Aerion had seen his friend fight before, yet never had he seen him move with such speed. Walker ducked under the first man's attack and drove his dagger through his opponent's leather armor and into his heart. As the second man came in, Walker thrust his sword in a smooth extension into his eye socket and brain. Before either man could fall, Walker had withdrawn his blades and then lunged forward, impaling the third man and then driving him backwards into the wall.
Walker ripped his blades out of the last, dying man and turned. Blood spattered his face and his fine clothes. There was a feral, almost hungry, look to his face and his eyes were alight.
Aerion wanted to ask him if he was alright, but the words stuck in his throat. Somehow he knew that his friend wasn't alright. Something was very wrong with him.
"Let's go," Walker said and tossed his head in the direction of the next set of stairs.
Aerion gave Walker a wary nod and they both jogged down the steps. Aerions' boiling fear for Katarina had been distracted by Walker's bizzare behavior, yet he found it rushing back. The next floor down was the first basement level. If the kidnappers had come through corridors, they could have entered the tower on that level or one two floors below.
Three floors below that was the lowest level of the tower itself, with the side gate and stable. Rushing across the courtyards might have caught them up to Lady Katarina's abductors. They might have even arrived at the tower ahead of them. What worried Aerion most was what the kidnappers might do if they realized that they were caught. If they wer
e in Hector's employ, they might well kill her with no hesitation.
He and Walker came down into the next room. The door off it was barred and Aerion hesitated, uncertain whether he should secure the room or move onward. An echo of conversation from below decided him and he and Walker raced for the stairs.
Aerion rounded the first spiral of the stairs and physically ran into one of the abductors. As the man stumbled back into his fellows, Aerion got a glimpse of Lady Katarina, her arms held by two men. There were over a dozen more kidnappers, with at least five in between Aerion and Katarina. Aerion swung his blade at the nearest of the kidnappers, even as he shouted, "Katarina!"
She turned to look back, but then her abductors dragged her into the next room.
Aerion tried to push past the men in his way, but they stabbed at him and forced him back. In the narrow staircase, there wasn't room to get around them and even though he had a reach advantage from his height and position above them, he still didn't have a shield and though the tunic turned their blades, he still felt every impact on his flesh.
"Dragon's Bane!" Aerion shouted. It wasn't fair, she was so close and the bastards were going to escape! Aerion retreated a step as someone slashed at his legs, but then leaned over to split the man's skull with his sword. Yet the next man in line stepped forward to take his place. Aerion was desperately aware that the kidnappers took Lady Katarina further away with every second, but all he could do was fight them, one step at a time.
What else could he do?
***
Armsman Bulmor
Bulmor glanced at Eleanor, who had just caught up with him. She picked up a white thread from the floor and raised an eyebrow. “Markers,” Bulmor said gruffly, around a throat that threatened to close up on him. “Taught her to do that in case she was kidnapped and fighting was too dangerous.”
Eleanor gave a nod, “Smart.” She put a hand on his shoulder, “We'll find her. The others are locking down the castle as we speak.”
Bulmor's jaw clenched. The fact that they had to lock down the entire castle sat poorly with him. If he had stayed at her side, he would have been able to protect her better. Yet he could only be in so many places at once. If she came through this, he would demand she call upon the old armsman families. This is my failure, he thought, I should have been there to protect her.
Even as he thought that, the others he had called hurried forward. Cederic, Quinn, and Nakkiki led the group, some of Lady Katarina's most capable people... hopefully it would be enough.
“Time to go,” Bulmor grunted.
He broke into a run, Eleanor at his side. She pointed out threads as they went along, many of them just down from one intersection, so that he would know which way to go. Soon enough, though, he saw a pattern to it. “They're headed for the side gate,” Bulmor grunted broke into a sprint.
Bulmor glanced behind. He saw the others strung out, running to keep up. At the back, Nakkiki drew further and further behind, the big man unable to match their speed.
No time to wait, Bulmor thought. His legs pumped, propelling him faster and faster. His breath came in whooping gasps as he ran. He left the passages that the kidnappers had taken, descending a stair and then rushing across an open courtyard and then down another stair. His feet knew the way, in the place he had served Duke Peter and Lady Alexia.
He glanced back, even as he rounded the last corner. The others had fallen behind, not as sure of foot as he was. Ahead of him lay a heavy wooden door, beyond which was the first level of Harken Tower. Bulmor skidded to a halt in front of it and as he slammed into it, he bounced back. He kicked at the heavy door as he drew his sword, “Damn you!” He howled. In a rage, he hacked at the door, but even his runic blade bounced off the heavy iron bands.
The others had begun to arrive and they joined him in hacking at the door.
Bulmor panted as he swung his sword, hacking over and over again, chunks of wood and shards of metal exploding from every impact of his blade. Only the fact that it was rune enforced and made of starsteel prevented it from shattering under the force of every impact.
Yet the door wasn't yielding fast enough. The thick iron bands bent under his blows, but they didn't shatter like steel would have. The heavy wood of the door splintered but it didn't disintegrate.
And then from behind, Bulmor heard a deep bellow. He spun and his eyes went wide as he saw Nakkikki had finally arrived. The big man came around the corner hard, bouncing off the wall and then staggering at an alarming rate towards them. The strange islander saw that he didn't have room to stop... and he didn't even try.
Nakkiki tucked his shoulder and drove towards them and everyone scattered out of his way. Bulmor went as flat as he could against the the wall. His eyes went even wider as a shimmering force seemed to surround the big man, just before he hit the door.
Bulmor felt the impact through his boot-soles. The door exploded outwards, splinters of wood and deformed bits of metal flew out from the impact as Nakkiki gave a bellow and charged right on through.
On the far side, a half dozen men stared in shock at the giant that appeared in their midst... and then Bulmor and the others followed in Nakkiki's wake in a wave of steel and anger.
***
Captain Aerion Swordbreaker.
Aerion had no room to step back and let Walker fight. Three enemies remained alive in the narrow stairway and Aerion fought despair as much as he fought the men ahead.
There came a mighty crash, followed by a bellow from below and Aerion felt a tremble in his feet. Aerion saw all three men freeze, confusion on their faces and he charged forward into them. With his size, he managed to bowl all of them from their feet, though he recieved a painful gash across one arm and another slash across his right cheek.
Aerion bounded past the downed men, down past the next landing and then down to the next level. The remaining kidnappers were locked in combat, a door burst asunder and a bellowing Nakkiki laying about with club and fists, sending men flying as Bulmor and others charged into the room.
Only one man stood between Aerion and Katarina and he didn't hesitate. Aerion rushed forward and cut down, severing the man's arm just below the elbow and pushing him aside, even as he jerked Katarina behind him protectively. A moment later, Walker lunged past him to run the kidnapper through before he could do more than scream.
Across the room, near the stairs downward, a big man spun away from the fight. Aerion recognized him as the man who had punched him. At his side was the serving woman who had tried to poison Lord Jack.
Walker saw them too, "Konstantin!" He shouted.
The big man looked up and Aerion saw recognition on his face. With little apparent effort he blocked an attack by Frederick, one of Katarina's personal guard, then ran the man through and kicked him off his blade and into the man behind. "Father will be disappointed!" Konstantin shouted.
Aerion looked at Walker in confusion, but his friend had a mixed expression of fear and anger. Before Walker could say anything, Konstantin and the serving woman retreated down the steps along with three or four of their men able to disengage. Some of Bulmor's men moved to block the stairs, but the rest were still locked with the remaining kidnappers.
The trapped attackers didn't try to surrender, they fought with grim certainty of their demise. Two of them rushed at Aerion and Walker, but with room to work, Aerion was able to deflect one's attack while Walker took the other down. Nakkiki caught Aerion's attacker by the back of his uniform and then flung him into the wall hard enough to leave a red stain after the corpse flopped to the floor.
Aerion looked around and saw that all of the remaining kidnappers were dead. He spun around, "Katarina, are you alright?"
In answer she folded into his arms and he caught her without hesitation. He could feel her body tremble and he ached to kiss her and assure her that he would never let anything happen to her. Yet he could feel the eyes of the others on her, he knew that what he did now as inappropriate.
She is betrothed
, he thought, I'm a commoner... He forced himself to let her go, to step away. The expression on her face showed that reason had returned to her as well. "Thank you, Captain Swordbreaker, I don't know what came over me, just a reaction to the situation I suppose."
"Of course," Aerion said. His gaze went over to where Walker stood, only a few feet away. Aerion half expected a smug smirk, yet his friend's expression was wary.
He knew his name, Aerion thought. He hadn't realized he had spoken aloud until Lady Katarina spoke, "That's right... you called him by name: Konstantin... you knew the leader of the kidnappers."
Walker's face went pale. He glanced around and Aerion realized that Walker wasn't looking for support... he was looking for an escape. "First Sergeant Walker," Aerion said, "stay where you are." He hated to say those words. Walker had helped him to free Lady Katarina... but Aerion wondered how involved he was in the kidnapping.
He assigned Sergeant Millar to guard the side gate, Aerion thought with a sinking feeling. His friend could have been the one to open the gate and let the attackers inside. Walker's odd behavior, mounting over the past few weeks, his mysterious past, his emotional outbursts... what if the kidnappers had blackmailed him into helping them?
"Aerion..." Walker looked at him, his face drawn with tension, "please don't do this."
Aerion looked over and saw that Bulmor's group had secured the area and he gently pushed Katarina in her armsman's direction, careful to keep himself between her and Walker. Quinn had come forward and Aerion nodded at him. "Keep an eye on him," Aerion nodded at Walker. "Something's not right."
Quinn looked between them, "What? What's going on?" As the former printer's apprentice hesitated, Walker exploded into motion.
